Rats
The most common type of rats in London are the Brown/Sewer rat and the Black/Roof Rat.
Brown Rat (appearance)
- The brown rat is normally up to 40cm- its tail is shorter than its head and body.
- They are known to grown between 350-500g.
- Another main characteristic is that it has a blunt nose, thick body and relatively small ears. These features make it distinguishably recognisably from the Black Rat.
They are known to live under buildings, in rubbish heaps as well as in holes and sewers, they have a life span of 9-18 months and can produce roughly up to 7 litters of 8-10 offspring every year.
Brown Rats are good swimmers and are predictable in habit, unlike the black rat.
Black Rat (Appearance)
- The black rat is between 16-24cm in length, with a tail longer than the head and body.
- They are known to grow between 150-200g in weight.
They have a pointed nose, large ears and a slender body in comparison to the Brown Rat.
Brown rats will burrow and live outdoors, indoors or in sewers and nest in burrows. Black rats are non burrowing and will nest mainly in walls, vines or trees. The Brown rat can climb, but is not agile - unlike the Black Rat.
Rats are omnivorous. The Brown rat does eat meat, whereas the black rat will eat mainly fruits, nuts, grains and vegetables. They can both consume up to 30g per day, they also need to drink water or eat food with a high water content.
